Binary adjustment for water skis

ABSTRACT

A water ski binding featuring simplified adjustability of at least the counter element for the heel forwardly and rearwardly within a chase defined by a pair of parallel spaced rails which laterally retain a base slide or sole platform portion of the counter element, the same being held in adjusted position by a set of spacer blocks interchangeably inserted in the chase forwardly and/or rearwardly of the sole platform. The spacer blocks are sufficiently flexible to permit removal and replacement and are dimensioned according to a binary progression. The vamp element of the binding can also be similarly adjusted, if desired.

United States Patent [1 1" Walter [451 Aug. 7, 1973 [54] BINARY ADJUSTMENT FOR WATER SKIS [76] Inventor: William R. Walter, 3247 Geddes Dr., San Diego, Calif. 92117 22 Filed: Oct. 4', m1

[2]] Appl. No.: 186,148

[52] US. Cl 9/310 AA, 280/1 1.35 R [51} Int. Cl. A63c 15/06 581 Field of Search 280/1 1.35 12-1135 w,-

11.35 Z, 11.35 C, 11.35 H, 11.35 K; 9/310, 1 310R,310AA 1/1969 Morey et a1 9/310 E 5/1971 Pope et a1. 9/310 E 3,675,938 7/1972 Sigl 280/l1.35 C

Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Attorney-Roy L. Knox [57] ABSTRACT A water ski binding featuring simplified adjustability of at least the counter element for the heel forwardly and rearwardly within a chase defined by a pair of parallel spaced rails which laterally retain a base slide or sole platform portion of the counter element, the same being held in adjusted position by a set of spacer blocks interchangeably inserted in the chase forwardly and/0r rearwardly of the sole platform. The spacer blocks are sufficiently flexible to permit removal and replacement and are dimensioned according to a binary progression. The vamp element of the binding can also be similarly adjusted, if desired.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUE W5 7 3.750.204

INVENTOK WILLIAM R. WALTER gnaw Fig.4

BINARY ADJUSTMENT FOR WATER SKIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As claimed the instant invention meets this need by providing a set of spacer blocks, dimensioned according to a binary progression so that minimum of number of blocks is required, and a sole platform on at least the heel or counter element of the binding, having a width dimension equal to the length dimension of the blocks with a pair of rails defining a chase for the sole platform and blocks, so that selective placement of the blocks forward of and/or to the rear of the sole platform gives the necessary adjustment. The blocks are slightly flexible so that they'may be-manually snapped out and replaced at will but yet semi-permanently held in place during regular use of the ski.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable ski binding with a fragmentary showing of a water ski;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

' FIG. 3 is a side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A'midsection of a water ski is represented fragmentarily in the drawings since this invention is not concerned particularly with the main portion of the ski but rather merely the foot binding which will be referred to as including a toe or vamp element generally indicated by the numeral 12 and a heel or counter element indicated at 14. j

Each of said elements has a base plate or sole platform 16 and 18, respectively, and the lateral edges are configured for slideable retention between a pair of parallel rails 20 which, in turn, are secured adhesively or by screws or otherwise to the upper face of the ski 10. As illustrated the sole platforms l6 and 18 are laterally rabbetted as at 22 and the rails 20 have inwardly turned flange portions 24 to retain the sole platforms. The rails define a chase in which the sole platforms may be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly.

Conventional clamp plates 26 and screws fasten the flexible saddle 28 of the vamp element to the sole platform 16, while a conventional clamp plate 30 and screws fasten the flexible heel piece 32 to the sole platform 18.

A set of binary spacer blocks, three being shown at 6 34,36 and 38, are inserted in the chase defined by the rails 20 and these blocks have a length dimension equal to the corresponding dimension of the sole platforms with edge portions 40 retainedfbeneath the flanges 24 of the rails. However, theseblocks are slightly flexible and can be snapped out and replaced nianually to change the relative position of the'vamp and" counter elements. To facilitate this at least one of the blocks is provided with a finger hold 42. The ends of the chase defined by rails 20 are closed by cross bars 44 and adjustment can be made without removal of these cross bars.

To illustrate the adjustment feature it will be assumed that the user wishes to enlarge the foot space slightly. The width of the different blocks varies according to a binary progression that is, the width of the blocks are proportional to the multipliers associated with the positions of the digits of a binary number, which are 2, 2, 2 2". Blocks dimensioned according to this scheme can be combined to occupy the maxinum number of uniformly incremented spaces. For example, if three blocks 34, 36, and 38 are used and quarter-inch increments in the open space betwen heel and toe are desired, the size of the blocks are V4 X 2", A X 2 /4 X 2, or k l; and 1 inch respectively, providing eight possible block combinations ranging in uniform increments of inch from zero to 1 )4 inch. Since the combined width of the spaces before and behind the heel is constant appropriate blocks are chosen to produce the desired heel-toe. spacing, and the remainder inserted behind the heel to secure it, so the largest block 38 may be snapped out and exchanged in position with the intermediate sized block 36 so that the counter element 14 is shifted rearwardly. If a smaller adjustment is desired the smallest block 34 may be shifted and, of course in the instance of three binary blocks 8 different arrangements of the blocks may be made. It is equally obvious that more blocks may be used and that the vamp element 12 can also be adjusted likewise. It is though advantageous that the vamp element be also adjustable in the interest of keeping the foot properly centered in the ski. The actual dimensions of the blocks can vary considerably while still remaining a set of binary spacers and, while synthetic rubber has proven satisfactory, the material of the blocks may also vary considerably as long as reasonable flexibility is preserved to facilitate snapping the blocks out when adjustment is required.

1. I claim:

1. An adjustable foot binding for a water ski or the like, comprising:

a vamp element for the forward portion of a foot and 'a counter element for the heel portion of the foot;

mounting means for securing said elements to said water ski or the like, said mounting means including parallel rails securable to the ski and defining a retaining chase extending longitudinally thereof with the ends of the chase being closed and with silient and are snapped into position in said chase.

5. An adjustable foot binding according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said spacer blocks has a finger hold to facilitate the handling of said spacer blocks during any necessary re-adjustment thereof.

i i i i i 

1. An adjustable foot binding for a water ski or the like, comprising: a vamp element for the forward portion of a foot and a counter element for the heel portion of the foot; mounting means for securing said elements to said water ski or the like, said mounting means including parallel rails securable to the ski and defining a retaining chase extending longitudinally thereof with the ends of the chase being closed and with one of said elements having a sole platform shorter than said chase and retained therein slideably adjustable forward and rearwardly in said chase, and variously sized spaced blocks semi-permanently inserted in said chase forwardly and rearwardly of said sole platform to retain said sole platform in adjusted position.
 2. An adjustable foot binding according to claim 1 wherein said spacer blocks are dimensioned according to a binary progression so that a limited number of blocks enables maximal adjustment.
 3. An adjustable foot binding according to claim 1 wherein both said elements have sole platforms and said chase is extended to accomodate both of said sole platforms and a set of said spacer blocks.
 4. An adjustable foot binding according to claim 1 and wherein said blocks are somewhat flexible and resiLient and are snapped into position in said chase.
 5. An adjustable foot binding according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said spacer blocks has a finger hold to facilitate the handling of said spacer blocks during any necessary re-adjustment thereof. 